In 2012, the travel website, Expedia, learned that, for every 100 customers who booked travel on Expedia, 58 of them placed a call afterward for help. [1] One of the benefits of self-service, from a company standpoint, is maximizing efficiency and minimizing expenses. Longer call times between customer service agents and customers incur higher costs.  And […]

During the spring of 1902, Hanoi, Vietnam, was on the brink of its first bubonic plague outbreak. Years earlier, French colonists built nine miles of sewage piping in a bid to modernize the city with basic amenities like running water and, in particular, flushing toilets. [1] The problem was, while well-built, the sewer’s warm, moist […]

Imagine you’re playing a game of tennis. You’re rallying back and forth, playing a competitive game, when you marginally lean to the left of the court in the middle of a point. Your better-skilled opponent catches the error in their peripheral vision and changes their shot at the last second. Game, set, match. [1] In […]

Irritated by the ruckus, Covey finally gave in, turned to the man, and asked him to control the children. “I guess I should do something about it,” replied the man, grimly. “We just came from the hospital where their mother died about an hour ago. I don’t know what to think, and I guess they […]